Posts

Ortelius provides a unique tool for selecting sections along a longer track called Linear Select™. Use the tool as you would a highlighter to select a portion of a track for applying inline styles, style adornments, labels, and other special features, such as a magic roundabout. Handles on these special features provide “just right” positioning along tracks.

To Use Linear Select:

Ortelius’ exclusive Linear Select™ tool works like a highlighter.

Choose the Linear Select [n] tool.

Press and drag over a track, highlighting as you go, then release.

HINT: While a path may look similar to a track, tracks have special properties. Linear Select does not work with regular paths.

Related Topic: See Text Labeling Linear Features for more information about using Linear Select to add labels to tracks.

To Apply In-line Styles:

In-line styles are new styles applied in-line with a single track, replacing the section highlighted with Linear Select with a new style. A transition is applied between one linear style and the other.

Use Linear Select [n] to highlight a portion of a track that will receive the new style treatment.

Do one of the following:

Double-click the desired style in the Styles & Symbols palette to apply it to the selected section.

To Adjust the Position of an In-line Style:

With the track selected, drag the green knobs at either end of the in-line style tto reposition the in-line style.

HINT: To reduce visual clutter and/or reduce the problem of having ambiguous targets for mouse clicks, open the Object Inspector’s Features pane and check the box to show (or hide) the in-line style handles.

To Remove an In-line Style:

Do one of the following:

Right-click the track and choose Remove Style ‘Name’ from the contextual menu.

Use the Linear Select [n] tool to highlight the section of track containing the in-line style and choose Edit > Paths & Tracks > Unify Styles from the main menu.

To Insert a Tunnel on a Track:

Tunnels are in-line styles (they replacing the section highlighted with Linear Select with a new style).

Use the Linear Select [n] tool to highlight the section of track to accept the tunnel.

Choose Edit > Insert Special > Tunnel from the main menu. The tunnel will be automatically styled to match the road style.

To Remove a Tunnel from a Track:

Do one of the following:

Right-click the track and choose Remove Tunnel from the contextual menu.

Use the Linear Select [n] tool to highlight the section of track containing the tunnel and choose Edit > Paths & Tracks > Unify Styles from the main menu.

To Apply Overlay Styles:

Overlay styles are style adornments applied in addition to the existing style of a track. Bridges, cuttings, and embankments are available overlay styles. These special features are smart and will adjust certain style properties, such as line weight, according to the line style of origin.

Ue Linear Select [n] to highlight a portion of a track that will receive the new overlay style treatment.

Choose Edit > Insert Special > from the main menu and choose the desired feature to be added.

To Insert a Bridge on a Track:

Bridges are overlay styles (they are applied in addition to the existing style of a track).

Use Linear Select [n] to highlight the section of track to accept the bridge.

Choose Edit > Insert Special > Bridge from the main menu.

To Insert a Cutting or Embankment on a Track:

During highway and rail construction, the land surface (for example, a hill) may be “cut through” to allow the road or rail surface to remain level. These features are referred to as “cuttings.” Alternatively, when land subsides it may be raised to create a level surface, forming an “embankment.” Cuttings and embankments are traditionally shown on local scale maps.

Cuttings and embankments are overlay styles (they are applied in addition to the existing style of a track).

Use Linear Select [n] to highlight the section of track to accept the cutting or embankement.

Choose Edit > Insert Special > Cutting (or Embankment) from the main menu.

To Adjust the Position of an Overlay Style (Bridge, Cutting or Embankment):

Do any of the following:

With the track selected, drag the left handle (yellow circle) on the overlay style (bridge, cutting or embankment) and slide it along the track for fine-tuned positioning.

Drag the right handle (orange dot) on the overlay style to adjust its length.

To Remove an Overlay Style (Bridge, Cutting or Embankment):

Use the Linear Select [n] tool to highlight the section of track with the overlay style.

To Create a Custom In-line or Overlay Style:

If the predefined special styles available in the Edit > Insert Special menu are not to your liking, you can create new bridge, tunnel, cutting, or embankment styles.

Use the Linear Select [n] tool to highlight the section of track to accept the new style.

Open the Style Inspector and click ‘Clone’ to base your new style on the existing track style, or ‘Reset’ to create a new style.

Add one of the following ‘Adornment’ style components: ‘Bridge’, ‘Tunnel’, ‘Cutting & Embankment’ to your new style.

Adjust the style component properties as desired.

Save the new style to your user library.

To Apply a Custom In-line Style (Tunnel) to a Track:

Use Linear Select [n] to highlight the section of track to accept the new overlay style.

Double-click the custom style in the Styles & Symbols palette.

To Apply a Custom Overlay Style (Bridge, Cutting & Embankment) to a Track:

Use Linear Select [n] to highlight the section of track to accept the new overlay style.

Hold down the OPTION-key and double-click the style in the Styles & Symbols palette.

To Insert a Magic Round-about:

Placed at the junction of two or more connector tracks, the magic round-about places a circle in the parent track’s style, sized according to the width of the line style, with junctions made fully automatically. After placement, the round-about is an editable section of track.

Use the Linear Select [n] tool to select the length of a parent track along the junction with one or more child tracks.